Income Taxes (Additional Information) (Details 5) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2015	Aug. 31, 2014
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Income tax benefit on income from subsidiaries	$ 50,500	$ 74,700	$ 14,600
Per basic share income tax benefit on income from subsidiaries	$ 0.27	$ 0.39	$ 0.07
Immaterial Error Correction			For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014, the Company recorded out-of-period adjustments that increased net income from continuing operations by approximately $17.1 million, which related to fiscal year 2013 income tax benefit adjustments that were recorded in fiscal year 2014. The Company assessed and concluded that these adjustments are not material to either the consolidated quarterly or annual financial statements for all impacted periods.
Net change in the total valuation allowance	$ 40,000	$ 43,500
Deferred tax liability	88,445	85,765
Foreign earnings repatriated	225,300
Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries	$ 3,100,000
Unrecognized deferred tax liability on these undistributed earnings description	Determination of the amount of unrecognized deferred tax liability on these undistributed earnings is not practicable.
Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits included in income tax provision	$ 21,900	20,100
Recognized (derecognized) tax benefit, accrued interest and penalties	1,800	$ 2,100	$ 1,000
Potential additional income tax payment due	28,600
Income Tax Benefit Adjustments [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Increase in net income from continuing operations			$ 17,100
Nypro Inc.
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Anticipated repatriation	181,100
Deferred tax liability	80,000
U.S.
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards	398,400
Tax credit carry forwards	55,000
State and Local Jurisdiction
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards	48,500
Tax credit carry forwards	$ 5,700
Tax credit carry forwards, expiration year	2027
Non U.S.
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards	$ 565,300
Maximum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards, expiration year	2036
Minimum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards, expiration year	2017
Two Thousand Twenty Four Expiration Year [Member] | U.S.
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax credit carry forwards, expiration year	2024
Investment tax credit [Member] | Non U.S.
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax credit carry forwards	$ 11,700
Tax credit carry forwards, expiration year	2026
Cash payments
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Possible adjustments for transfer pricing and certain inclusions in taxable income	$ 900
Audits Settlement or Expiration of Applicable Statutes of Limitations
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Possible adjustments for transfer pricing and certain inclusions in taxable income	$ 12,700